Star Trek: Voyager (TV Series) Blink of an Eye (2000) User Reviews

My favorite Star Trek Voyager episode.

[jedijosh-1 · 10/10 · 24 August 2008]

As the title states, this was my favorite Voyager episode ever made. The story was perfect for an episode of Star Trek and the only thing disappointing about it was that it should've been a two-part episode giving more time to focus on the inhabitants of the world as they worship the "Skyship." At times I even think this could've passed as a Star Trek Movie plot. I am now learning from a previous comment that this episode was based on a book by Robert Forward and I will be checking it out as soon as possible. The Doctor's trip away from Voyager added a interesting history to the character and I think that they handled it well by just showing the doctor leaving and coming back without knowing what happened to him, then finding out later through dialog what did happen. This episode also should be noted for it's greatness because although there was a small bit of conflict at the end, this episode focused more on problem solving rather than space battles. Also it didn't rely on the return of old favorites (Borg, Q, etc.) to make it good.

Blink of an Eye

[ewaf58 · 8/10 · 15 September 2006]

A very good episode although it appears to have its roots in an excellent book called 'Dragon's Egg' by Robert Forward. This concerned the discovery of a life on a Neutron star whose development was (compared to the orbiting Earth ship) hyper accelerated. The inhabitants (The Cheela) went from being a primitive civilisation to one that was far more advanced than the Earth ship in the space of a few days.

This is mirrored by the Voyager episode. Perhaps the Star Trek writer did acknowledge Forward in some way just a Gene Coon did for TOS episode 'Arena'.

Still it is very well done and at least the Doctor got to experience a long life down on the planet.

Memorable

[ahifi · 9/10 · 12 August 2009]

This episode is a real grower and is, without a doubt, evidence that Voyager could rise above its predecessors with an intelligent plot.

Fans of The Doctor will get an especially good kick out of this episode as he achieves some sort of humanity. It'll give you a warm smile, much in the way Data's quest for humanity did for many TNG fans.

Daniel Dae Kim's appearance as Gotana-Retz is certainly welcome as is his acting which appears very basic on the surface, yet his style suits the universe so well. I could imagine him being a cast member of a future Star Trek.

For me, the ending is the best part of the episode. It'll make you feel warm, happy and sad. An extremely great story that manages to put itself among the best of the Star Trek episodes.

Excellent science fiction and one of the best Star Trek episodes

[jeffchan · 10/10 · 6 May 2010]

I had very much the same reaction to this episode as some of the other reviewers. "Blink of an eye" is an example of excellent science fiction very well presented. The premise of a planet operating in an accelerated time field and its effect on societies living in it are exactly the type of thought-provoking topics science fiction was created to address. The interaction of the planet and Voyager takes place in interesting ways.

The story reminds me of the cultural anthropological explorations of science fiction writers like Ursula K. Le Guin.

Daniel Dae Kim gave a very strong and memorable performance as an astronaut from the planet. I'm glad to see he has gotten more opportunities to use his talents in other works.

Wonderfully Creative/One of the Better Episodes

[Hitchcoc · 10/10 · 12 September 2018]

I remember seeing this the first time. It has kept me thinking ever since, what would happen if I or one of my kind were put in this situation. I do remember one of the original Star Trek episodes where the Enterprise and another entity were in different times. There was a whine that went on because one species was moving at incredibly high speed and sounds were distorted. For once, in this episode, there wasn't any religious gobbledegook or combative aliens. In the beginning the "sky ship" was seen by some as a sacred light that was responsible for many of their problems. I know it isn't perfect. There has to be some speculation, but as an absolutely gripping piece, it works very well.

Saying Goodbye to an Old Friend

[XweAponX · 10/10 · 24 August 2013]

This kind of story has been told in many books and shows, most famously in an episode of The Outer Limits called "Wolf 359" - And in the Robert Forward book called "Dragon's Egg" which two other reviewers mentioned.

In a way this was told in the Next Generation 1st season 17th Ep called "Home Soil" - But in this case, the life form is not silicon based and they are Humanoid. It was also touched on in the 2nd Season DS9 17th Episode "Playing God" - A Proto Universe is developing. That is probably the same story as this, but happening in a smaller Quantum- So all they can see there is the overall growth of the Proto 'Verse- So that story lacked the personal human element this one has, except for maybe returning it where it belonged.

Here, we get a Donut Shaped Planet: "The Weird Planet Where Time Moved Very Fast And So Did the People Who Lived There." as Naomi Wildman describes it. Also - "What we got here is a Problem with Communication" - How do you talk to life forms that are living their whole lives in the span of a few minutes?

But there are other things to deal with - As Voyager attempts to leave orbit of this unlikely orb, they get stuck. They appear as a Star in the sky of this planet, but as the planet develops they make Telescopes and can make out Voyager's Features. And, the same conundrum that has Voyager stuck like a Fly on Flypaper is causing earthquakes.

But it is not Voyager's story of being stuck that makes this great or even interesting, it's how we are shown Vignettes of Life on the Planet as it develops through their centuries and Voyager's Minutes. But of ultimate interest is the story of the Astronaut played by Daniel Dae Kim and how he becomes an intermediary between his planet and Voyager. Basically it is the same as the Original Trek "Wink of an Eye" - Where we had aliens on the Enterprise that moved so fast they they sounded like Bugs when they talked. In this episode when Kim gets onto Voyager it's the same thing, but he is not there as an invader but as an explorer. Ironically it wasn't the change from his time to Voyager time that was a problem, but acclimation back into his own time-frame and society - Who scoffed at his return as the butt of jokes.

So his return in fact stifles those jokes once and for all. It is as if someone says "When the Sun sets down on the Moon" or "When Pigs Fly"- And then it Happens.

This was the one time Voyager was not saved by "Technobabble this" from Torres or "Borg Gadget That" from Seven. They were at the mercy of a Civilization who was the victim of their unintentional gravitational effects for a thousand years- And this one Astronaut who was dead by the time they actually left orbit.

How this planet could exist or why time is sped up on it's surface is not important, what is important is the story of the one enlightened being from the planet, the Astronaut played by Daniel Dae Kim.

A neat episode

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 2 March 2015]

Voyager is stuck in orbit around an odd planet that is progressing far, far faster than time on Voyager. For every second on the ship, apparently a day passes below. So, the Voyager crew observe and see a society move from the bronze age to the rudiments of space travel during their short time there! However, when these astronauts arrive on Voyager, these folks see that the Voyager crew is stationary due to the time differential. I was surprised because I just assumed the locals would be on Voyager time when they entered the ship. What happens next you'll just have to see for yourself. Suffice to say, it's a really cool episode and the concepts are similar to ones shown recently in "Interstellar" where there is a huge time differential on the planet versus the ship in orbit. Well worth seeing and one of the better episodes.

A different time.

[Tweekums · 9/10 · 9 April 2010]

After a weak episode Voyager is on top form again here. When a strange planet is spotted Janeway takes Voyager closer in order to investigate. As it goes into orbit Voyager gets trapped. Down on the surface a primitive race see Voyager's arrival as the arrival of a new deity which they dub "Ground Shaker" as Voyager's presence causes regular earthquakes. Looking down at the surface Voyager's crew notices that the seasons are changing very quickly leading them to believe that time passes much faster on the surface than it does elsewhere in the galaxy. The next time we see the people on the surface their civilisation has progressed from the stone age to their equivalent of the Middle age Europe. By the time they have developed to the "1960s" Janeway decides to send the Doctor to the surface to see if he can learn anything that might help them leave. It is intended to send him down for a few days; which means only three seconds should pass on Voyager. When they have difficulty beaming him back he ends up spending three years there. Not much later the people have developed rockets and send two astronauts up to Voyager which they now call the "Sky Ship". Once on board the two astronauts are initially still in their own time but soon change to Voyager time which only one survives. By the time he is ready to return the people on the planet have developed weapons and are attacking Voyager, he must persuade then to stop before Voyager is destroyed.

This was a great episode, it was interesting to see the planet's civilisation rise while only a few days passed on board Voyager. Guest star Daniel Dae Kim, best known as Lin in Lost, does a good job as the astronaut who visits Voyager. The only weak point for me was that the astronauts stayed on planet-time for some time before suddenly changing to Voyager time; surely they would have gradually changed time rates as they ascended from the planet, this is a small quibble though.

One of the best ever.

[TheAppraiserofAmerica · 10/10 · 23 June 2022]

Quite simply...........this is one of the best episodes of any Star Trek franchise. It just makes you feel good and gives the viewer hope that people can be good.

One of the strongest Voyager episodes

[snoozejonc · 8/10 · 18 July 2020]

Voyager is stuck orbiting a planet where time moves quicker than everywhere else in the galaxy.

Seconds on Voyager mean years on in the planet as they witness the evolution of the civilisations from just a short time in orbit. It feels like cross between the Original Series episode 'Wink of An Eye' and the TNG episode 'The Inner Light'.

There are good performances from the regular crew and also guest stars like Daniel Dae Kim.

This has something for everyone: a compelling plot; intriguing sci-fi concept; interesting themes; good character moments (particularly The Doctor) and not too much heavy jargon.

Best episode of Season 6 so far and up there with the best in Voyager.

Stuck

[thevacinstaller · 8/10 · 11 February 2023]

I always wanted a long term story about breaking the ever sacred prime direction and this is an hour long dive into the consequences and benefits of that experience.

In terms of creativity this episode nails it. It's just a great premise for a science fiction episode and it is well paced ---- getting to be part of the evolution of the society in the little snippets we have down on the planet.

I also get a good belly laugh when Trek writers handwave writing problems away ---- How did a holographic doctor have a baby boy? Well, it's a long story. Honestly, that's the way to do it --- don't even try to explain something that is ridiculous that treat it as fact and lets gets on with it.

It was interesting to me that Voyager doesn't actually solve the problem --- it's the inhabitants of the world.

Terribly Inconsistent

[mcpuffin-27569 · 1/10 · 16 October 2017]

(((VERY SMALL SPOILER)))

Seven-of-Nine says that 1 second on Voyager is nearly a day on the planet. This means nearly 10 years would pass for every hour and roughly 230 years would pass for every day, yet many centuries pass on the planet while only a few minutes pass on Voyager. I don't know how someone could be that bad at math but that's one of the worst inconsistencies I've ever seen. This episode was very poorly written.

What a story!

[alci350 · 10/10 · 15 May 2022]

Let your imagination go wild, because this episode will take you on a shocking (fantasy) ride! Thinking about the possibilities if this could really happen, just makes your head spin. One examplary episode of what makes Star Trek different and special. This could easily be presented as a stand alone ST show or movie. The story/script is well thought of. Just think how your world/life would be if you were there ..

Easily one of the best

[cakrit · 9/10 · 27 February 2010]

This episode is in a league with TNG's "The inner light". It is what sci-fi is all about. Great ideas, based on simple assumptions on the nature of our universe.

The episode would have been perfect, if it weren't for some very annoying details:

• The ridiculous, uncalled for scene with the two astronauts on the frozen Voyager just proves how the writers would do anything for a 'cool scene', no matter how little sense it made.

• That idiot Janeway refusing to communicate with the surface after having completely violated the prime directive and refusing to defend her crew, are just more of the cheap gimmicks so often used in this series.

When minutes turn into years

[tomsly-40015 · 10/10 · 20 January 2024]

This episode is arguably one of the best episodes of the series. Although Voyager lags behind Deep Space 9 in terms of its overarching storyline and character development, there are still surprising highlights that, viewed on their own, have an excellent and profound plot. When I think about the movie "Insurrection", I always wonder how this shallow and boring story made it to the big screen when gems like this episode could have been filmed instead. This episode could have easily been adapted 1:1 for the crew of the Enterprise. What could have become of this episode if it had been visually more cinematic and the individual storylines had been given more time to build up the plot.

Interestingly, the series "The Orville" aired a fairly similar copy of this episode with "Mad Idolatry" in 2017. The parallels cannot be overlooked: a planetary civilization that advances by centuries in a matter of moments, the initial worship of the space-faring strangers as gods, the leaving behind of a life form on the planet that is unaffected by time, and the eventual contact with the then even more advanced civilization. A worthy tribute to this episode.

The fascinating thing about this episode is that you can watch in fast motion how primitive cave dwellers develop into a technologically advanced civilization, while only a few hours pass for the observers in space. No less thought-provoking is the fact that Voyager itself initiated and influenced this development by being the reason for all the explorers on the planet to set out for the stars themselves. The scene when the planet's astronauts finally set foot on Voyager and time seems to stand still around them is excellently implemented cinematically for the time when the episode was filmed and impressively shows how much the different time zones differ from each other.

Unfortunately, nothing was shown and little information was given about the doctor's visit to the planet, which lasted only a few minutes for Voyager, but lasted three years for him. Apparently he had both a wife and something like a son of his own during this time. If you then imagine that in just a few minutes after he returned to Voyager this family will already be deceased, then you suddenly realize how small, short and insignificant the life of an individual is compared to the development of an entire species.

It would be interesting to see what happened to this civilization after Voyager was gone for a few weeks and a few months. At the rate this civilization is developing, it should be superior to every other species in the Alpha quadrant by then - or have wiped itself out in a global war with weapons of mass destruction.

Good story, if you can ignore the time dilation inversion.

[geoffstrickler · 9/10 · 14 August 2021]

This is the second episode in which they make the same error in time dilation. I forget the name of the prior one, but Tuvok and Tom or Harry end up stranded on a high gravity planet for a few months with a woman who falls for Tuvok. Anyway, name isn't relevant.

Higher gravity slows time, yet in both these episodes they have time running much faster on the planet than on the ship, exactly the opposite what would occur in reality. The planet has a very high rotation rate, enough to cause addition time dilation, slowing time on the planet further.

That time dilation inversion is essential to both stories as it allows much more to occur on the surface than could otherwise be addressed in one or two episodes if time were "real time" for Voyager.

That aside, as others have mentioned it's a good story, not the usual space conflict. It explores the development of a society over many centuries, while Voyager watches.

Great episode but...

[schlagzeugplayer · 9/10 · 25 July 2019]

The premise of a planet in a accelrated evolution is interesting but not totally unique in the Star Trek world There is a episide in the original Star Trek there is a episode " Wink of an Eye" w a alien race that is a permanent seperate time differential. This episode is like that in reverse. Im kind of surprised no one has mentioned this. Even the title is similar. Also if you really think about this its mind blowing. To them they have normal lifespans but to us its a flys life but faster. So the blink of a fly.

Excellent Episode Easily One of Voyagers Best But ....

[bickeler · 9/10 · 3 May 2024]

A great episode for Voyager for sure. The writing was excellent and the acting good if a bit wooden in a few spots. The but is the wasted opportunity they had. This show made so many bad 2 episode stories this could have easily better than most of them. Thing like the Doctor going to the planet were explained rather than shown all missed opportunities to be sure. Also none of the science was really delved into everything felt a little short in explanation and story. Although the performances were good they could have been better as 2 episode plot. The problem was well I hate to say it but too little time.

Still a Voyager Classic don't pass it by!